NUAPADA: The bodies of a 13-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy were found hanging from a tree near Kukurimundi village in Nuapada block on Sunday. The girl, Chuleswari Harijan, was a Class VIII student of Kukurimundi Ashram School and belonged to Bhainsadarha village.
The boy was identified as Jibanlal Majhi. Collector Madhusmita Sahoo took action against three staffers of the school following the incident.
As police personnel arrived at the spot to recover the bodies, the locals resisted and demanded immediate suspension of Head Sevika of Ashram School, Sakauntala Tripathy, Assistant Hostel Superintendent Asmat Majhi and Matron Satyabati Ujir.
Later, Additional District Magistrate Sitaram Patel and District Welfare Officer Sandhyarani Majhi rushed to the spot. The villagers allowed the police to take the bodies for autopsy only after the Collector suspended Sakuntala and Asmat. Besides, Satyabati was removed from her post for indiscipline and negligence of duty.
Dharambandha IIC Dilip Lakra said the girl had escaped from the hostel of the ashram school on Saturday night. As per the preliminary investigation, it seems the boy and the girl were in a relationship.
However, the exact reason for their suicide is yet to be ascertained, he said. A case has been registered and further investigation is on.